RX question?

[m steve]

Has anyone brought a prescription with them into Canada and had it filled while you wait? What stores have the best prices? Any suggestions?

[Acey]

Has anyone brought a prescription with them into Canada and had it filled while you wait? What stores have the best prices? Any suggestions?

 

I called the largest pharmacy in Canada (Shopper's Drug Mart) and they will not fill prescriptions from USA citizens. I understand from an article I read a while back that drug companies were threatening to cut off their supplies to Canadian pharmacies if they sold stock to American citizens. The prices for patented medicines in Canada are controlled federally using international price benchmarking to regulate prices. Selling to Americans cut their margins in the USA hence the threat to pull the supplies.

[Putterdude]

Generally speaking, no, a prescription written by a US doctor can not be filled in Canada. However, in some instances there may be some smaller indepentdent pharmacies in Canada close to the border that have a realtionship with a Canadian doctor who, upon seeing your original prescription and asking you some questions, will write you a prescription but you have to ask yourself if the time and effort is worthwhile.

[PennyAgain]

There are however some drugs that an Rx only in the USA and are over the counter in Canadian pharmacies. I usually take my Rx's to a pharmacist to see if I can save any more that way and often do so. Name brand allergy medicines come to mind most easily but there are others.

[Langley Cruisers]

...you have to ask yourself if the time and effort is worthwhile.

 

And the money. What is a doctor's visit at a walk-in clinic worth now? At least $45.00, I'd bet. Even if a visitor's extended medical coverage paid for it, they would still have to pay up front.

[ell52]

Has anyone brought a prescription with them into Canada and had it filled while you wait? What stores have the best prices? Any suggestions?

As stated by others, Canadian pharmacies will only fill prescriptions written by a Canadian physician. The price will be within a few dollars difference no matter which pharmacy you go - the difference being in the dispensing fee rather than cost of the drug.

 

A few years ago, there were US bus groups that would come cross-border expressly to have prescriptions filled in Canada. A Canadian physician would do a history, review the prescriptions and write a new one that was valid in Canada. I don't know if this is available any more because it was very controversial and the US pharmaceutical companies did not like it.

 

I think your only other viable option would be to go to a walk-in clinic for a prescription. The latest fee is $100 (per the BCPassport site: http://www.bcpassport.com/vancouver-vital-information/vancouver-medical-services.aspx). It's up to you whether you think the time and cost is worth the difference in US v. Canadian Rx cost.

[m steve]

I saved 1/3 over my Medicare AARP plan.

[Burtcruises]

How did you do that? Is there a website I can FAX my prescription to?

[m steve]

call this #- 352-351-3290 for a quote and then you can fax the RX to them. It usually takes about 3 weeks. These are original products but labeling can be in a foreign language. They charge $10 handling fee per order.